MYSURU: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah revealed on Sunday that the state's farmers have suffered losses amounting to Rs 30,000 crore due to this year's severe drought.
The drought has resulted in crop loss on 42 lakh hectares of agricultural land, and a staggering 216 out of the state's 236 taluks have been officially designated as drought-affected areas.
Siddaramaiah explained that in line with the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) guidelines, the state government has requested Rs 4,860 crore in assistance from the Central government. A team from the central government has already visited the drought-stricken regions for an assessment.
The Chief Minister also mentioned that the state government had previously declared drought conditions in 195 taluks. However, following a cabinet sub-committee meeting, an additional 21 taluks have been declared as drought-affected, bringing the total to 216 taluks facing this crisis.
In response to the drought, Siddaramaiah emphasized that the state government is committed to providing input subsidies to farmers to address their urgent needs, including support for drinking water, fodder, water for livestock, employment opportunities, and other relief measures.
He also noted that this year's drought presents a unique challenge, characterized as a "green drought," where crops have grown but yielded little to no harvest.
(With agency inputs)
